Clearing some of last year's backlog:

UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL

ДЕНЬ НЕЗАЛЕЖНОСТІ (UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENCE. AS IT IS)

Watchable. Filmed 6 months 10 days after "День українського добровольця" ("One Day in Ukraine"), reviewed here in the past, Володимир Тихий's (Volodymyr Tykhyy's) new documentary again depicts one day in wartime Ukraine. Shot in several locations all over the country, this film shows how war has become normalised. It's almost boring, but proves unwavering optimism of the nation. And their sense of humour, e.g. a puppy has been named Крим (Crimea). Alarms going off every time the TV tries to honour the Independence Day are a cue that Russians may be indeed listening in. 

СХІДНИЙ ФРОНТ (EASTERN FRONT)

Watchable. War paramedics do their best to save dying people but scare and beat cows in a completely mistaken attempt to save them from a quagmire and, even more outrageously, one of them shoots a dog. The dog defends his territory, then shot, runs away and whimpering begs the shooter to spare his life, but is mercilessly murdered - the man does to him what Russians do to Ukrainians. Shaky camera dominates, the documentary is chaotic, protagonists tell stories, which is mixed with action. No way to tell what happens when. No ending indicates the war goes on but the lack of order in the plot lets you catch just snippets of information and it all drags at times. You learn why Russian is spoken in cities and Ukrainian in villages - there was no point in relocating Russians to villages (after the holodomor) and how 8 years of Russian propaganda blocks people from accepting the truth until they see it with their own eyes since they trust nothing anti-Russian they're told. 

СМАК СВОБОДИ (TASTE OF FREEDOM) Q&A

The film was shot in 2021 i.e. before the full-scale war, now the title has gained a new meaning. It shows their dreams before and what they want to return to. 

One of the actors used to work in a restaurant for real to prepare for this acting job. Alexei Yakutov really has a restaurant and let them in for a day to see. Lots of Ukrainians are interested in cuisine and possess deep knowledge about it. The recipes in the movie are original ones from Ольга Франко (Olga Franko's) book. The book contains 50 recipes for borscht - for the poor and for the rich. 

Тетяна Малькова (Tetyana Malkova) (Leosia) has been in Poland for 1.5 years. She has 3 children so came to Poland to protect their psyche. At the start of the war she rang Tomasz Sobczak: "How is Poland?" He immediately responded: "Where shall I take you?" She would take out glass from the ground in front of her block to make a playground for children on arrival. Now she's acting in Polish serial "Na dobre i na złe" so she's working in her profession and she gets to tell the Ukrainians' story in it. In Ukraine, she often ad-libs, here she had to learn Polish by sounds to understand when a Pole ad-libs. Her co-cast would ask her to bring Ukrainian food when she goes there.

The Korean-Ukrainian actor who played Leosia's pal died in the war while helping children in Irpin. YouTube "Culture and War" shows creatives, including the director of "Кiборги" ("Cyborgs"), Олег Сенцов (Oleh Sentsov), even 2 ballet soloists, fighting in the war.

Poles are now tired of talking about the war, while in Ukraine there's no way to hide from it, cinema is such a hideaway. All of them could do with sleep and space to cry. The actress who played Ольга (Olga), Ірма Вітовська (Irma Vitovska), says documentaries are a priority now. "20 Days in Mariupol" is candidating for an Oscar. She foresaw the war but "you can prepare as much as you want but can never be ready". Once when they were filming there were fights in the city, they had to stop filming for 2 hours because of drones. The producer thought at some point: "It's 11:30 p.m., in half an hour there's curfew. How will we go back home? No, we're in Warsaw." 

Ukrainian cinema was in stagnation for 20 years after 1994 when it was thwarted by Russia so people stopped going to the cinema.

БЛОК НАГОРОДЖЕНИ КОРОТКОМЕТРАЖНИХ ФІЛЬМІВ (AWARDED SHORT FILM SET)

The set comprised of the 2022 winners:

ROZWIAZANIE (DELIVERY)

Watchable. About psychological violence inflicted on a dependant and feelings and thoughts around surrogacy. A cautionary tale of the risks taken by women deciding to become surrogates or to hire one. Blackouts in the cut halt the otherwise engaging story and make no sense in such a short film. 

МАРІЯ (MARY)

Watchable again. Looks staged like in the theatre but the story's shocking. No back story in the film, only in its synopsis.

ІНША НІЧ

Watchable when seen again. This Kharkiv-set documentary basically deals with what people do with obtained information. Thought-provoking, edifying. But not very engaging in the way of story-telling.

ФАЗА (PHASE)

Watchable again. An engaging story of an assumed crime. Slaughtering animals in the background to the main story is disturbing. 

ЗЛАМАНЕ

Watchable. An engaging story of returning from war and attempting to live normal lives while the scars are sometimes even physical. Great music. The ending is nothing in particular.

HOMO DEUS. ЛЮДИНА Є БОЖЄСТВЕННОЮ

Watchable. A peculiar story of a weirdo youngster feeling lonely. Lots of fantastic music: "One More Day", "Bounce" by Monotonne.

БЛОК КОРОТКОМЕТРАЖНИХ ФІЛЬМІВ III (SHORT FILM SET III)

The set comprised of 5 short films:

ЯК ЦЕ БУЛО / JAK TO BYLO (AS IT WAS)

Watchable. Youngsters party toasting the Ukrainian army or talk about mines, forbidden under the Geneva Convention, but other than their friend visiting from Berlin, crying on departure knowing she might never see them again, nothing much happens action-wise. 

RODZINA 

Recommended. A documentary about successful Ukrainian expats going home to protect their close ones after the war outbreak. They explain their motivation. Wonderful and astonishing. Powerful. 

THE MONKS

Recommended. In this documentary Ukrainian monks tell about how common ties with Russia were and how the invasion took them by surprise. Graphic descriptions of invaders' determination to kill and of sustained injuries enhance your knowledge of Russian atrocities, The monks' resilience, peace in mind and of mind hit you hard. 

СИНІЙ ПТАХ. ПОЕТ. МУЗИКАНТ. РЕЖИСЕР (THE BLUE BIRD. POET. MUSICIAN. DIRECTOR.)

Watchable. The only good thing I can say about this documentary is it's dynamic. Other than that, for the 29 minutes, looking forward to the next film in the set, I kept wondering why somebody shot a documentary about alcoholics living in squalor and imagining what they create is poetry. In fact, it's a chaotic picture of how low humans fall when they succumb to addictions. People run naked in the scenes along the end credits. 

The producer was rude and full of herself, her kid, utterly spoilt, was jumping on his seat throughout the film set. Well, like producer like film.

ПЛИН (THE FLOW)

Recommended. Amazing cinematography plays with colours, lights, the outbreak of the war is strangely beautiful. Vivid, evocative images. 

Full-length films:

ЖИВІ (THE LIVING) (2008) AND Q&A WITH DIRECTOR

Recommended. A harrowing documentary about the holodomor of 1932/33 with deeply moving survivors' testimonies and the true story of Gareth Jones, the Welsh journalist who tried in vain to pass on the message to the UK. He had got off the train, crossed on foot to Kharkiv region in Ukraine and visited two villages. He was later shot in Manchuria where he was accompanied by a fat Russian driver. Heavy stuff.

The director says films age fast but he hopes his won't. 25 thousand people would die daily, but still in 1934-5 people would die of post-holodomor complications. Where those people died of hunger, Russian settlers were sent in in the 50s. Their descendants now have formed the Donetsk and Lugansk Republics. But in the Kharkiv region Ukrainian is spoken in villages. A psychologist worked with the crew and the protagonists. It was the first time they told about it. Saying: "good bye, we have to leave" was the hardest. All the protagonists are no longer alive. The director saw part of "Obywatel Jones" ("Mr. Jones") and found it very Hollywoody. There's a Museum of Holodomor-Genocide in Kyiv. There's also a Canadian documentary "on the holodomor" but with footage taken from the Leningrad blockade.  

W UKRAINIE (IN UKRAINE) AND Q&A  WITH DOP PIOTR PAWLUS

Recommended. From ironic shots of newsmen to a dog looking at his ruined flat. The documentary sees also packs of dogs, some limping, fed by benevolent people - these are the most powerful shots. People live, have fun. Ruins. Little boys enact war. Nearly no words. But the pictures speak volumes.

DoP/writer/director Piotr Pawlus, 38 years old, would first go with aid, 2-3 weeks later he decided it was historical so he needed to document. He used a pocket-size camera. He made use of two local drivers and one interpreter. When somebody didn't want aid, he'd leave them money. Plenty of most affected people refused bags of food because other villages would need them more. Once at a blockpost they found themselves at point blank when he got off the car to light up (he's a smoker) even though he had the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence accreditation. He went to the front line once and never again. Writer/director Tomasz Wolski didn't want to risk his life. As for life during war, Piotr Pawlus remarks that at WW2 there were also plays in concentration camps. The last scene was shot from the pavement. There was mine danger around the building. Not many people are left in the village close to the Russian border where many packs of dogs live. Locals and volunteers come to feed the dogs. There are also Ukrainian and international organisations specialising in animals. He doesn't like canines. In Leh, India, near Tibet he was attacked by a pack of dogs. His next project is connected with Ukraine - it's due to come out in the spring. 

КУЛЬТУРА ПРОТИ ВІЙНИ (CULTURE VS WAR) AND Q&A WITH PROTAGONIST

Watchable. Music, insufficient arrangement of the material, game-like, almost-3D shots detract form the message. Yet the realistic photo stills hit you hard anyway. The photographer couple part is the most orderly. The final part "Калина" ("Kalina") song is moving.  

4 novellas out of 6 shot are in the film. Ахтем Сеітаблаєв (Akhtem Seitablayev), who starred in "Haytarma" reviewed here before, directed "Мирний 21" ("Myrnyi-21") and came to the festival with his fiancee, says that whenever he travels Poland, he sees the country as one which has achieved what Ukraine aspires for. He had to learn to walk anew after a spine injury. But in 2022 he had no doubts about joining the army. None of his company in the army likes war. Movies and real life war are drastically different (no smell in films). Russian soldiers either claim that they went training and didn't know they were going to war or that they were forced. He thinks 95% lie. They can take clothes off a killed child and and give it to theirs. Like hundreds of years ago in Poland, Russians were known as "kacapy" ("кацап" meaning "butcher", as the actor explained). He's been shooting only war cinema for 10 years but he thinks that if it happens to him, God wants it. "Cold War" and "Ida" were inspirational to him. Now he and his friend want to make a crazy black comedy. He's Muslim, thinks in Ukrainian but thanks to his family and theatre he speaks Crimean Tatar. "How could I live in Crimea now?!" He's not living there any more, hasn't been there in 9 years, he's allowed to enter but not to leave. 

The Moscow Patriarchate over the Orthodox Church was banned on 20 October 2023.

ТИ МЕНЕ ЛЮБИШ? (DO YOU LOVE ME?) AND Q&A WITH DIRECTOR

Watchable. Painstakingly recreated 1990 in Eastern Europe - unpleasant but realistic. A 17-year-old in search for love wherever she sees a chance: she longs to get it from parents, grandparents, men. It shows what matters to young girls the most. This and learning independence, having dreams. Excellent sound and sound effects.

The director's parents divorced, she never ran from home or had a rabbit but she was in an acting school. She's now collecting funds for her new absurd comedy like her first film and "like Ostlund".

Я, НІНА (LUCKY GIRL) AND Q&A WITH PROTAGONIST

Watchable. Top-notch all-body make-up and visual effects kept me through this regular drama about career. The celebrity is a bitch at the beginning. The rest is like in every other cancer movie, with the added nonsense of cutting off an arm because cancer has spread to blood. 

Her book sold out in Ukraine, there was a reprint so she decided to make a movie. The original protagonist has both arms, looks healthy and has black hair. 

КОЗА НОСТРА. МАМА ЇДЕ (KOZA NOSTRA)

Recommended. A comedy with a script using a mix of tried and tested ideas, where a mafia capo needs to go straight and is surrounded by inept mafiosi, with some elements of a comedy of errors, but also with some not so obvious twists of action and, most of all, an array of wonderful characters. Especially the eponymous mama, acted by superb Ірма Вітовська  (Irma Vitovska), is endearing. Shot in Ukraine and Ragusa in Sicily, it's filled with warm colours and good or bad intentions. Wonderfully joyful music plays till the end of the final credits. Fun till the very end.

CLAREMONT: A KILLER AMONG US EP. 1

Recommended. A gripping documentary about mysterious disappearances of young women in a safe neighbourhood where everyone knew their locals. Details of the investigation keep you on the edge of the seat.

Seen courtesy of Canal +.

MON CHAT ET MOI (A CAT'S LIFE)

Watchable. Cats, big and small, a dog, a wild boar, a lynx for animal lovers. But excessive music, loud at times, detracts from the feeling of authenticity.

ROBOTS

Watchable. It's based on "The Robot Who Looked Like Me", a 1978 short story by Robert Sheckley and, typically for the author, it's puckish. The speaker in the first scene is called Larry Underwood - if anyone wants to look for hidden modern references. Surrounding sound means decent production quality. The film's too vulgar though, I doubt that comes from Sheckley, some jokes are bottom-end. But the whole thing is totally engaging, with great twists of action even if not very funny. Still good sci-fi fun. 

UKRAINA! FILM FESTIVAL

This year's festival ran for 6 days in Warsaw and till December it's replicated in several other cities of Poland, it had its online edition too. More than 60 films were presented and 17 events accompanied them, including the first ever masterclasses: one of a Ukrainian scriptwriter and one a Ukrainian director.

СМАК СВОБОДИ (TASTE OF FREEDOM)

Recommended. Inspired by a true life cooking book from a century ago, it's a fairy tale where a dash of magic spices up chef rivalry. A charming love story, parallel to the career one, neighbour disagreements, cultural differences between classes, a mum in the background make it more "Pollyanna"-like rather than an urban career tale. Owing to professional visual effects, in this movie even accommodation issues and a job search look magical.

Sadly, the part-Korean actor from the movie has died in the ongoing war.

LETO KADA SAM NAUCILA DA LETIM (HOW I LEARNED TO FLY)

Recommended. A sunny holiday story, with occasional pleasant pop music, set in Hvar, Croatia, where a girl from Serbia is spending summer with her grandma. It's comical, especially the overbearing granny, and upbeat, even a death isn't a tragedy but a natural cycle of life. Great fun.

Reviewed from the distributor's screener, cinematic reception might differ.

PORTRAIT OF THE QUEEN

Recommended. A wonderfully shot documentary about photographing the most photographed woman in the world. She commanded respect, intimidated even the great and was a challenge taking into account both the lineage whose portraits had already existed and the fleeting impressions of her which were expected to reveal her true self. Over 90 years of images, no interview ever given. "Above the politicians", her enigma and her responsibility to preserve historical continuity to her subjects are stressed a lot by the "vox populi" and famous photographers alike. The documentary illustrates it all artistically but also with anecdotes and consistent perception of her by others. This outsider look reveals a lot about the collected and reserved personality of the unique portrait subject. 

WARSAW JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

RAPITO (KIDNAPPED)

Recommended. Based on historical facts, with convincingly recreated Bologna and Rome of the mid-19th century, the movie tackles brainwashing and immense power. The story presents the individual level of the kidnapped child, the perspective of the family and the institutions of the state against which an individual is powerless. Religion exerts mind control over people who can't be even punished because they acted in good faith. That shows it's faith that's the problem. Just one mention in the film provokes the thought how one Jew - Rothschild - could have caused the whole Church go bankrupt. That didn't happen. Tear-jerking and frightening.  

PASSAGES

Watchable. It opens with a director complaining about an actor - who soon after turns out to be revealed as his husband, failing to get a passage scene right. Later you realise it's the director himself who's struggling with his life passages even worse. Trying to have cake and eat it too doesn't work in relationships, especially triangles. Film-wise it also barely works out. Utterly ugly Franz Rogowski revolts in erotic scenes, whether gay or straight, the gay ones being more graphic than the straight ones. He also wears really weird outfits. Even if the movie's aimed at gays, I doubt it'll be attractive. Ben Whishaw is not handsome either, but he's the one for whom I stayed till the end. His reactions to his spouse's moves to and fro their marriage and how the woman gets treated is vaguely interesting in the story. 

WARSAW JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

TU CHOISIRAS LA VIE (WHERE LIFE BEGINS)

Recommended. While initially it tells about ordinary daily matters, the two leads' lives turn out to be worlds apart. What ensues is mutual attraction, subtle and slowly evolving into love. Neither finds themselves able to sever the ties with their extended families. You root for them to get together. Lou de Laâge and Riccardo Scamarcio excel in their roles. Biblical references, when she's running from the olive orchard or when they both ponder on the Garden of Eden and its fruit, add a transcendental dimension to the two people's dilemmas. The story's told so beautifully it leaves you in awe.

XPEND4BLES

Watchable. What's in there apart from off-putting genital warts or pissing jokes? The protagonists are a motley crew: fake face and 'plastic is fantastic' boobs Megan Fox, an alcoholic, a perv, a moron - seriously faulty heroes. But they respect women and ridicule influencers. American versus British ways of expression are mocked too - that's smarter humour. And the line about how WW3 would be disastrous to most but "insanely profitable to some" is spot on. 

WARSAW FILM FESTIVAL

TA, KTORA KOCHAM (THE ONE I LOVE)

Watchable. The documentary opens with beautiful vistas of Mexico City, some white magic ritual, Mexican food, a swimming pool adjacent to the house - nothing's missing at the protagonist's life. Or so it seems, because there's a mystery in her past. What did her mother do? And why did her mother have so many children only to give them up for adoption? Excellent cinematography renders even the most mundane plane landing or a walk magical. The visit in Toruń, Poland starts with a person talking about her pain too theatrically and who is that woman anyway? Very mundane health issues in the family don't help clarify who is who. But the daughter's letter to her mother is shocking. As she's listing her childhood experiences the horror just grows on you. A man, another woman - an elderly one comes into the picture. Again, is she a relative or who? And what are their silly conversations or arguments for? They don't seem to bring anything into the film. Are they her parents and her grandma in the first place? Or is it some other arrangement? A bit frustrating not to have the basic facts laid out. But the investigation is gripping. 46 minutes into the film I learn who the woman is, still not sure about the man. And a new frustration arises because now I don't know what man and what incident the mother is referring to. Won't Polish people ever learn how to make documentaries?! And who are the two young women Daria frequently connects to online? Friends or someone hired to assist her search for the siblings? Next the mother and the man are talking about having been beaten and sexually abused by some man - who the heck are they talking about?! And when was that wedding? Whose wedding (in case that matters)? It's all "he", "they". Finally she mentions having been 14 at the time. In the 60th minute you eventually learn the mother was talking to her brother about their stepfather. Was it too difficult to add captions or commentary or was the director so engrossed he imagined everyone knew the family as well as he did? The film certainly makes you realise how many elderly people don't deserve respect. And how some harsh decisions are the best. Back from Torun, Daria's happy Mexican family visits a pyramid. The search is concluded. At least the results of it all are written on the screen. No doubts or ambiguities. Finally. And I'm crying. The story's as unusual as it is powerful.

Reviewed from the organizers' screener, cinematic reception might differ.

WARSAW JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL 

KARAOKE

Recommended. Wonderful, stylish cinematography, with plenty of close-ups, playing with lights and colours, karaoke songs which make you want to dance, sound effects and top acting glue you to the screen in this evocative look at the human need to be recognised but also at trying out new experiences, at crossing over comfort zones, at establishing your true self. It's also on sincerity in various relationships, on how we treat those we look up to, on self-fulfillment and who truly finds it, on losing yourself and finding yourself anew. Our comfortable lives are put into perspective. 

AS BESTAS (THE BEASTS)

Watchable. Daily life in a village, with some grumbling and quarrels but also work on a farm and pleasant time in a market, turns into increasing harassment and mobbing of a neighbour. Big, strong, tough but still mobbed. The threats, even poisoning his well, cornering him keep you in suspense. Still, it feels lengthy. The inevitable murder steps up the tension. The futile search keeps you on the edge of the seat. Even more so when the murderers start cornering the daughter. The ajar (since not exactly open) ending is a bit disappointing.

Reviewed from the distributor's screener, cinematic reception might differ.

FIGURANT (STRAWMAN)

Watchable. I missed the first few minutes so can't comment on the very opening. This black and white movie blends seamlessly with archive footage, blurring the lines between history and its enaction, but the plot is painfully simplistic and the film drags. Even the investigation is boring. Mateusz Więcławek skillfully portrays whatever complexity there is of his protagonist, using his facial expressions he complicates a bit his banally simple character, but there's only nominal tension in the last half an hour. Everyone's actions are uniform - within each character. Even if life was simpler in the 1960s, it doesn't sell well nowadays. But, gripes aside, top-notch sound, stylisation and the lead actor's aging by Waldemar Pokromski are perfectly fine. I also respect the way the disabled and other ethnicities are presented. 

WARSAW FILM FESTIVAL

WARSZTATY SZTUKA MONTAZU (THE ART OF FILM EDITING WORKSHOP) BY BEATA DZIANOWICZ AND RAFAL LISTOPAD

The director/writer and the editor of "Strzępy" talked about their co-operation. "Jałowe przebiegi" (idling) were normal when working on the project. A director makes 1 movie in 3 years, an editor 2-3 movies per year, a dresser over 157, so a director is the least experienced. The characters had full back stories since birth so the actors, the costume designer, the set decorator surprised her with how they made use of the info. Director Beata Dzianowicz recommended Łoziński's "Wszystko się może przytrafić" ("Anything Can Happen") which made me immediately apprehensive since I had walked out from that. The 3-hour workshop was little to the point. 

SUR L'ADAMANT (ON THE ADAMANT)

Watchable in pieces. For the location. I got to the screening 16 minutes late and don't regret it. What they say is all boring - only one piece of information may be useful: that with modern sewing machines you don't need to thread the needle. But the day centre for the mentally ill is stylish and comfy.  It's right on the Seine opposite the fashion design centre and across the Off Seine 4-star hotel. 

TEMPETE (RIDE ABOVE)

Watchable. I haven't read the novel it's based on: "Tempête au Haras" by Chris Donner. The movie is a formulaic family tale about overcoming one's limitations and about racing: horseback or modern-day horse-chariot so it'll appeal to horse lovers the most. But it's very pleasant on the whole. Warm colours, wonderful cinematography make everything look beautiful in all weather and seasons. The good ones win and (mild) villains learn a lesson. Heart-warming.

THE EQUALIZER 3

Recommended. You don't need to have seen earlier instalments. Even without the one flashback it's easy to follow this movie. The part where Roberto's settling in enraptures, the people are so amiable you want to move to Altomonte, Italy yourself. But what lies beneath is the petrifying amount of corruption, mafia brutality. Roberto's (Denzel Washington) stance convinces you of his knowledge, skills and mental resilience. The plot is well-structured but what's outstanding is mostly Robert Richardson's top-notch cinematography: vistas of Altomonte, people's faces, especially in the interrogation scene or when people's silhouettes are shown. Good people versus villains, it's a fairy-tale for adults, especially the way the finale's filmed is nearly miraculous, yet consistent with the realism of the film. Impeccably executed. Everyone, oops, everything. 

AFTER EVERYTHING

Watchable. Hero Fiennes Tiffin co-produced this part. The movie wittily reminds you of his earlier impersonation, when his mate remarks:  "Look who's risen from the dead" - dejected Hardin looks like the zombie from the actor's earlier flick "The Loneliest Boy in the World". The 5th "After" film is about the best. Hardin makes amends, pines over his lost love. His father finally has a role to play too, adding meaning to the story and the character. Shot in Portugal and Bulgaria, it has a holiday feel. Glam cinematography, riches make for a pleasant viewing. Flashbacks help refresh the story after years. The last scene though, with Josephine Langford in a wig, as Tessa pregnant and with a kid welcoming dad home is cringeworthy. It detracts from the raunchy and touching love story.

FESTIWAL PRZEMIANY (PRZEMIANY FESTIVAL)

I AM HUMAN

Watchable. There are 100 bn neurons in the brain which is the same number as the old estimate of the number of galaxies in the universe and each neuron is as complex as Los Angeles, as we hear in this documentary. Yet the rest is less inspiring. 3 disabled people gain new chances of recovery through brain implants with varied results: Parkinson's disease treatment being the most promising, regaining one's vision the least. It appears movement is the easiest to re-control. The film is slow-paced with lots of focus on protagonists rather than on science. Ends in scientific hopes.

DE HUMANI CORPORIS FABRICA

Watchable. An unflinching look at a mortuary, a dissection of an amputated breast, a close look at dementia, operations of a penis, an overgrown prostate, an eye, a brain (if I guessed all these right, because no explanations are given), doctors' daily frustrations - hard to watch, brutal but uniquely insightful. Scary how we may happen to be at the mercy of others, also imperfect, humans.

20.000 ESPECIES DE ABEJAS (20,000 SPECIES OF BEES)

Walked out. Only 1 bee in the first 36 minutes. Instead boring family talks, plenty of little children, peeing, breastfeeding even in a swimming pool scene. Revolting.

ROZYCZKA 2 (THE SECRET OF LITTLE ROSE)

Watchable. No need to have seen the first movie. It's perfectly comprehensible even if you haven't. It also doesn't encourage you to check out the prequel. What is it about? Poland doesn't have individualism but familism, especially politicians are often judged by what their parents were or did decades earlier so in this country this bizarre plot actually makes sense. One shot wonderfully demonstrates this predicament when you see the politician's reflection in her father's portrait. The movie's in 2/3 drama, in 1/3 thriller, but fully predictable and ruined by the slow pace of seemingly modern, let alone politicians', life. In 2/3 it's sappy, which is enhanced by the music by Bartosz Chajdecki, in the last third even the music gets better. But all in all, the 106 minutes drag. 

MLODE HORYZONTY (YOUNG HORIZONS) FILM FESTIVAL

ZEEVONK (SEA SPARKLE)

Watchable. Maintained in a calm mood, it tells about daily lives on the sea in the Netherlands. Death happens but the sea is forever. Occasional glimpses of sea creatures, fantastical rather than real, attract visually at times, the rest is mundane. 

ROBOT DREAMS

Recommended. This Spanish-French animation tells about a New Yorker and his humanoid robot. Roller skates dancers were hired to create the Central Park dance scene. But the whole film is a deeply moving animation about loneliness and missing someone once you've met the right person but had to part. This mutual friendship is so deep it's more appropriate to call it love. Sorrowful but beautiful.

I was 2 minutes late and also missed the very last scene when I got distracted by a kid out of control. 

KROL (THE KING OF WARSAW) S. 1 EP. 1

Switched off. Judaism, mindless violence, Polish political history, nationalism unsettlingly resembling our times, the brutal fights of large groups resembling "Gangs of New York", modern-day-like foul language - nothing interesting or pleasant. Jewish soldiers smuggle cocaine - nonsense. 

This episode is available free of charge on Canal+ online.

MIALO CIE NIE BYC (YOU WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE)

Recommended. The film shows how common abortion is and how many kids were born unwanted. Smart dialogue, great acting, especially by Borys Szyc and Sonia Szyc, hard issues are tackled in a light tone. There's even a decent dance choreography. It's all well-paced. 

Young director Kuba Michalczuk, direct and approachable, says we've got plenty of profound movies so he wanted to avoid moral preaching, he prefers to talk to the viewer rather.

MLODE HORYZONTY (YOUNG HORIZONS) FILM FESTIVAL

MINI LAB

A whole room with stands where you could construct a city or look for objects in a game, see how the green screen technique works in films, shoot your own videos with props or try out stop-motion animation in live filming, watch kaleidoscopes, old type animation techniques, dance to a screen responding with colours. VR consisted of short films and interactive activities: one animation charted the history of cinema, another one told a robot tale of Stanisław Lem's, you could also steer a story playing rock, paper, scissors, kayak among views from all over the world day or night in all weathers or change the surroundings with your voice. Great fun. All the activities took about 1.5 hours in total.

KICIA KOCIA POD CHOINKE - ZESTAW: 

KICIA KOCIA - ZIMA, KICIA KOCIA GOTUJE, KICIA KOCIA W POCIAGU, KICIA KOCIA SPRZATA, KICIA KOCIA W BIBLIOTECE, KICIA KOCIA NIE MOZE ZASNAC

Recommended. Charming Kicia Kocia gets to know the world again. This time the activities are more leisurely: playing outside, making cookies, travelling, reading and even washing root vegetables for soup and cleaning are made into the fun of exploration. 40 minutes are enough for the youngest children but I felt a tinge of regret when the series ended. It was available in Polish only.

NINA ET LE SECRET DU HERISSON (NINA AND THE HEDGEHOG'S SECRET)

Watchable. This family drama turns into an engaging crime story. It doesn't shy away from adult issues like fraud or unemployment. But the animals - nice or not - are the most fun. 

Occasional harsh jazz assaults your ears. 

ILE ZA SZTUKE? (HOW MUCH FOR ART?)

Recommended. A thorough documentary about the art market in Poland. It charts its history since the 80s, when there was none. up to now. It presents a few of the highest grossing contemporary artists, collectors, gallery owners and an auction house to put their bits to the picture of the what and how and the hardest question to answer: why. Even in this market, female artists earn 2-3 less than their male counterparts at the same stage of professional development. Attractive visually and in the sound layer, the film almost smothers you with plenty of exquisite artworks of old masters and the brave new generations. It's dynamic and bold. Superb.

WARSAW FILM FESTIVAL

CHCESZ POKOJU, SZYKUJ SIE DO WOJNY (PRAY FOR PEACE, TRAIN FOR WAR)

Switched off. OMG is it moronic. Agnieszka Elbanowska and Łukasz Czapski's script is full of low brow attempts at humour, actors are amateurish. Some weird voluntary army unit for inexplicable reason is training civilians and does so by extensive bullying. What's the purpose of this ludicrous film?! And whoever has selected it for the Warsaw Film Festival where it premiered?!

Reviewed from the distributor's screener, cinematic reception might differ.

CHLOPI (THE PEASANTS)

Recommended. 5 years of international co-operation are paying off. It's different than "Twój Vincent" ("Loving Vincent"), since it was first shot with actors, props, on locations, then painted over and the gaps filled in. Folk music creates a unique climate to the production. But most of all, based on the Nobel-winning novel by Reymont, it's a powerful story encompassing a range of issues: some historical Polish, most versatile. Psychology of social groups lies at the core. The power struggle glues you to the screen. Deeply internalised patriarchy, people's pettiness are masterfully presented. Most harrowing though is the central story of Jagna whose beauty is her curse. It's the Polish Oscar candidate.

MLODE HORYZONTY (YOUNG HORIZONS) FILM FESTIVAL

怪物 (MONSTER) AND Q&A WITH PSYCHOLOGISTS JOANNA SZULC AND IWONA ZABIELSKA

Watchable. Directed by 是枝 裕和 (Hirokazu Kore-eda) so quite dull. A more complex version of Belgian "Close" if you get to the point. But at face value it's a story of school bullying. It's told thrice, from 3 points of view. The 2nd already clarifies a lot. The essence of the truth is gradually revealed in the 3rd. So structure-wise it's like Korean "아가씨" ("The Handmaiden") but much more ordinary. The thing is this movie's not about an intrigue. It's rather the same mundane story told from different perspectives. And that means everyone involved, in fact more than just 3 people, sees it differently and each person has their own problem. Seemingly about kids, those behaviours are true for adults too. Nearly everyone turns out to be good which is comforting and kind-of brings back faith in humans.

A highly expert analysis by the two lady psychologists followed the screening. The most interesting observations were: by child psychologist Joanna Szulc: "He accuses the teacher who will neither exact revenge nor will get hurt." and that for both single parents "a disease" labels "otherness".

WARSAW JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

The closing movie was:

HA'MISHLAHAT (DELEGATION)

Watchable. Israeli teenagers on a school tour of shoah reminders travel through Poland. They're preoccupied with their flings, they sing, joke, occasionally mention their future plans. The past only reaches them fleetingly when they're made listen to survivors' testimonies and when death camp visits jug their imagination. Most don't give any thought to it, some decide to experience contemporary Poland on their own or locate the past horror among modern silly activities. The grandfather's never finished tale starts with him being in love, just like some teenage protagonists are. All the film says is that youngsters' love affairs and desire for fun outweigh the burden of mementos. Not too bad a flick for compulsory school groups but I can't see much of any other target audience.